Interesting month on Ebay.... our master doctoring seller has been very busy once again - we heard from a long time McCoy collector about them appreciating our efforts to keep exposing Larry McKinley -

"Hi Linda,

I was online gasping at Larry's new gold crap yesterday, and wrote McCoy collector friends. They told me about your site and how you blast him out of the water. I say Hip Hip Hooray for you and too bad the Society site doesn't address these repaired, reglazed and new gold trimmed items as much as they do reproductions.

Anyway, I am proud of you bringing attention to him. I need to do something with my McCoy web site. Do you mind if I link over to your Shawnee spottings after I list the McCoy fakes? Would love to feel I am doing something honorable to combat dishonest eBay sellers and sleeze bags."

Genuine pottery with fake gold and decoration is NOT DESIRABLE BY ANY POTTERY COLLECTOR. This man has so much nerve to continually deceive collectors. Sadly this ruins it for the novice collector but many of our long time collectors have also been duped by him.

It appears that prices are rebounding somewhat - the Gold Shamrock Smiley with the butterfly on it's head went for over a thousand. Not Shawnee but American Bisque Herman and Catnip jar just sold a couple of days ago at an auction for over $10,000.

Updated May 22

Years ago while I was in Zanesville for Pottery Festival I missed a blue Winnie cookie jar that was advertised in the Antique Trader. The seller was out of Iowa. Interestingly it was only a few years before that we collectors had dubbed the gold blue Winnie as a blueberry when a normally green bib with clover buds was painted blue instead. I had never seen one plain before yet this non-collector advertised hers as a blueberry - it was already sold when I called on it but she described it perfectly so I was certain the jar did exist in plain yet over the years have never seen nor heard of one yet now in a collection that was purchased recently lo and behold one turned up - here's a picture of her. Nice to finally SEE one truly exists - where there is one, there are more........

Also after searching for years for the gold trim deer figurine with decals, TWO were found. It is the hardest figurine to find to complete the set in gold trim and comes in all three decals (not that I have them, I have been told - LOL) The wheat decal like these is my personal favorite!

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend and give thanks to our past and present military for all their sacrifices.

Memorial Day is a time to remember the people that gave their lives while in the service of this country. Also a reminder to thank a veteran or active duty military person for their service and sacrifices. Pat a Veitnam veteran on the back and welcome him or her home. There sure wasn't much of that back then. Don't forget, military personel are performing their duty, not persuing a personal or political agenda. If you ever spit on a returning GI and are offended by this - TS.